When cooking everyone has their own idiosyncrasies, tricks of the trade if you will that save time in the kitchen or just ideas that have been passed on from one generation to the next. Here are some tips, tools of the trade, to help you with your everyday cooking in the kitchen.
1. Keep leftover cookies softer by adding 2 slices of bread to the cookie jar.
2. To get rid of excess oil on fried items, drain on brown paper bags from the grocery store as opposed to paper towels to maintain crispness.
3. If youre sauting onions, make sure you add the salt after the onions have started to turn brown, or else you will slow down the caramelization process.
4. To keep celery fresher longer wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator.
5. Garlic skin comes off more easing if the cloves are slightly warmed before peeling. You can also smash the garlic cloves with the back of your knife, which helps the peel come off as well.
6. To ripen fruits, wrap them in newspaper and put in a warm place for 2-3 days. The ethylene gas they emit will make them ripe.
7. Add a few drops of lemon juice to rice before it boils and it will be whiter.
8. If something is too spicy neutralize it with dairy products such as milk, sour cream, or yogurt.
9. Hard brown sugar will soften if you leave an apple slice in the package overnight. Then remove the apple slice the next day.
10. If you notice that your pasta is foaming dont fret thats just the inherent starches in the pasta. Add a little oil to the pasta water while cooking to help prevent this.
11. If you have added too much salt in a recipe then it can be fixed by diluting it with the ingredients used or by adding a potato. The potato needs salt when cooking so it will extract the excess from whatever dish youre making.
12. If youre tired of your store-bought dressing always separating with the oil at the top and the rest on the bottom, add some Dijon mustard. Mustard acts as an emulsifier and helps bind together those two ingredients.
13. When cutting jalapenos, if your skin starts to burn or its too sensitive for your hands, immerse your hands in ketchup. The acidity will help stop the burning. (I learned this one the hard way after calling the Poison Control Center when making some homemade salsa for one of my b-day parties.)
14. When a recipe calls for minced garlic, start chopping the garlic into small tiny pieces. Once they get small enough add a little pinch of kosher salt to the garlic and continue to chop and then mash with the back of your knife. Instant minced garlic.
15. To make the ultimate crispy crust but tender inside on a baked potato, rub the outside in olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt, iodized salt or garlic salt for flavor. For added flavor you can add seasoning salt too! Then wrap in aluminum foil, poke holes in the top w/a fork and place in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour.
16. Instead of using that ole store-bought whipped cream, try making your own. In a mixer w/a whipped attachment add about 1 cup of whipped cream. Add cup of granulated sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Mix until stiff peaks form which means that the whipped cream holds its shape when the whisk attachment is pulled out. Voila! In a little less than 5 minutes you have homemade whipped cream.
17. When squeezing a lemon, first roll the lemon around on your work surface with your hands to start releasing some of the juices or you can place it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then cut the lemon in half and squeeze cut side up so the seeds dont get into what youre doing. You can also stick a fork in the lemon to help squeeze without getting all the seeds everywhere.
18. When greasing a pan for a cake, for an example, instead of using flour use granulated sugar around the edges and bottom. That way the outside will be edible and you wont have to worry about that starchy flour on the outside.
19. When grilling play around with different flavor wood chips such as: hickory, mesquite, alder, or fruitwood. That will add another whole dimension to the flavor of the product youre cooking.
20. One of the best ways to cook bacon is by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees. Place the bacon slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Doing it this way inhibits the bacon from shrinking too much.
21. Make sure that if youre making kebabs with wooden skewers to be put on the grill that you soak the skewers in water overnight so that they dont burn up when placed on the grill.
22. When cutting a cheesecake no one likes the pieces to have little bits of crumb, so to prevent this make sure you use a very sharp, serrated knife. Place the knife under running water, and make your 1st clean slice, then clean the knife off entirely and make your next slice. That way youll have a nice clean piece of cheesecake with no residue.
23. When measuring a really sticky substance such as honey or molasses, spray the utensil or measuring cup with a little cooking spray and the mixture will come out right away with nothing left behind.
24. When making scrambled eggs add some milk to the mixture. The eggs will end up softer and fluffier. A good rule of thumb is 2 eggs and 2 Tbsp. of milk. The same applies when making an omelet as well.
25. When making poached eggs for eggs benedict perhaps add 2 Tbsp. of plain distilled white vinegar to the simmering water. This will help the egg yolk to coagulate and hold its shape.
26. Remember that 1 teaspoon of dried herbs is equal to 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs.
27. When making guacamole, add the pit of one of the avocados to the guacamole mixture. The pit, along with an acid such as lemon or lime juice, helps to keep the guacamole from oxidizing.
28. Buy small spray bottles at the store to use when spraying water on top of baking bread to help make it crispy, or even use it for misting salad dressings on top of salads. Also squirt bottles are a great tool to have as well for drizzling butter on top of corn on the cob, topping cakes such as a coffee cake with a glaze, and even for drizzling strawberry sauce on to a plate before presenting that delicious piece of cheesecake.
29. When making Caesar salad, serve it in a wooden bowl and rub the inside of the bowl with a clove of garlic to add some extra flavor to the greens.
30. Not sure what to do with those leftover pie scraps that you have? Cut into various shapes (the odder the better), sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and voila you have a quick and easy snack. (Be careful, they are addicting!)
31. For a perfect hard-boiled egg, cover eggs with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a full rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs stand for about 8-9 minutes. Drain the eggs and place in ice water to shock the eggs and stop the cooking process.
32. Play around with making different flavored ice cubes. Make some lemonade and add it to your ice cube tray. Once frozen add to iced tea and you have an added dimension to the tea. Use any flavored juices or even play around with freezing margaritas into ice cubes.
33. When baking a cake such as a pineapple upside down cake instead of using the entire amount of water that the recipe calls for use pineapple juice and the rest water. This will add extra flavor to the cake batter. This also works for orange cakes, lemon cakes, etc.
34. When a recipe calls for cutting in the butter use a potato masher. Itll help break the butter into small pieces.
35. When making French fries or chips, let the potatoes stand in sugar water in the refrigerator for 8 hours before frying. This helps break down the enzymes in the potato and creates a crispier product when frying. Note: Be sure to drain the potatoes and pat dry excessively so theres no excess water on the potato. If you dont the oil will pop like crazy and create a hazard.
36. Flavored butters are always fun to have around in the kitchen. Let 2 sticks of butter sit out at room temperature until they are soft. In a mixer with the paddle attachment add your favorite ingredients such as: garlic, herbs, fruit, or even honey. One of my favorites is adding some chopped strawberries to the butter. Wrap the butter into a roll in parchment paper and store in the refrigerator. When youre ready to use all you have to do is cut a circular slice and add to whatever youre making. The strawberry butter is divine on toast.
37. To determine if an egg is hard-boiled spin it. If it spins then its hard-boiled, if it wobbles then its still raw.
38. To keep salt from clumping together in your salt shaker add some uncooked rice to it.
39. If you find that you are left with extra cookies or even extra bread that might be a little stale. Blend the leftover bread in a food processor for instant breadcrumbs. Do the same with the cookies and you have a topping for cakes, a crust for pies, or even a topping for ice cream.
40. If you find that you dont have a pastry bag like a recipe calls for then take a Ziploc bag and cut one of the corners off and you instantly have a makeshift pastry bag.
41. When youre making any kind of strawberry dessert, add a little bit of Balsamic vinegar to the mixture. The vinegar helps bring out the flavors of the strawberry.
42. When having a dinner party a good rule of thumb is to serve cold food on cold plates and hot food on hot plates. So soups should be served in warm bowls, salad should be served on cold plates or bowls, the main dish should be served on a warm plate, and the dessert, if chilled, should be served on a cold plate. Place plates in the oven for a few minutes for warm plates and place plates in the refrigerator for cold plates. (This is a trick that most restaurants use to keep their foods hot or cold. So if you want that restaurant feel at your house, this is the way to go.)
Heres a funny food quote to end your day:
I dont like food thats too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture Id buy a painting. -Andy Rooney-
Here are some of the sources that I used. Check out these web sites for further information on cooking tips.
www.cookitup.in/cookingtips.php
www.fatfreekitchen.com/tips.html
www.geocities.com/buddychai/Misc/TipsnKitchen.html
www.wikipedia.com
For more info: Any comments, questions or concerns feel free to contact me at pastrychef1@cox.net
Cooking Easy Cooking Tips & Tricks
easycookingtipsandtricks.com/tag/cookingEasy Cooking Tips & Tricks Learn A Variety of Healthy and Delicious Cooking Secrets and Techniques ... Cooking Techniques; Cooking Tips; Easy Cooking Tips and Tricks
Easy Cooking Tips & Tricks
easycookingtipsandtricks.comLearn A Variety of Healthy and Delicious Cooking Tips and Tricks That You Can Try at Home ... Cooking Techniques; Cooking Tips; Easy Cooking Tips and Tricks;
Kitchen Tricks and Tips From Our Expert Cooks RealSimple.com
www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/kitchen...Simplifying strategies, tips, and techniquesfrom the Real Simple test kitchen to yours. How to Prevent Food From Sticking
Cooking Tips & Techniques Real Simple
browse.realsimple.com Food & RecipesView all cooking-tips-techniques. ... Feature Kitchen Tricks and Tips From Our Expert Cooks. Simplifying strategies, tips, and techniquesfrom the Real Simple test ...
Microwave Cooking is the Wave of the Future Easy Cooking Tips ...
easycookingtipsandtricks.com/easycookingtipsandtricks/microwave...Easy Cooking Tips & Tricks Learn A Variety of Healthy and Delicious Cooking Secrets and Techniques ... Cooking Techniques; Cooking Tips; Easy Cooking Tips and Tricks
Easy cooking tips, tricks and techniques - Phoenix easy meals ...
www.examiner.com/article/easy-cooking-tips-tricks-and-techniquesJun 19, 2009 When cooking everyone has their own idiosyncrasies, tricks of the trade if you will that save time in the kitchen or just ideas that have been passed on ...
Cooking Tips & Tricks - Pinterest
pinterest.com/realsimple/cooking-tips-tricksCooking Tips & Tricks. The best shortcuts, new uses, and tips from the Real Simple test kitchen. Real Simple. 28 Pins 232,559 Followers Follow Board. Pin it. Like ...
Cooking Tips, Tricks and Techniques
cookingtips.cookingcache.comCooking Tips, Tricks and Techniques ... CookingCache.com is in the process of collecting a variety of cooking tips and cooking related articles together.
Cooking tips and tricks FOOD
www.foodandfoods.com/cooking-tips-and-tricksThere are some important cooking tips and tricks, ... In cooking, there are some special techniques, ... Cooking rice is very easy, and by learning some cooking tips ...
Cooking Tips & Techniques Rouxbe Cooking School
rouxbe.com/tips-techniquesJoin the Rouxbe Cooking School Today! ... Get Started Dashboard Access. Please enter your email address and we'll send you a link back to your Get Started Dashboard.
Cooking Tips & Tricks, Culinary Tips, & Cooking Information
www.professionalrecipes.com/tips.htmlCooking information, tips and tricks from the pro's and secrets to improve a recipe and make it come out perfect every time. Techniques to help speed up a process or ...
Cooking Tips Cooking Tips and Tricks Easy Cooking Tips ...
www.cookeatdelicious.com/cooking-tipsFind all the tips you need to help cook up easy recipes and be called a master chef! ... Learn some of my cooking tips & tricks to make life in the kitchen a whole ...
Simple Cooking Techniques - Cooking Light
www.cookinglight.com/.../simple-cooking-techniques-00412000070280Broaden your cooking skills with these easy methods and how-to guides.
Cooking Tips, Tricks & Techniques Recipes - Organic Recipes
www.flannerys.com.au/recipes/category/cooking-tips-tricks-techniquesWe're taking it back to the basics with these cooking tips, tricks and techniques to make cooking easier in the kitchen! ... Delicious, quick, healthy and easy!
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques - Cooking for Two on About.com ...
cookingfortwo.about.com/od/ingredients/tp/AssortedTips.htmCooking for Two; Quick & Easy; World Cuisine; Weekend Cooking; ... Tips: Tricks for Cooking; Tips, Tricks, and Techniques; Also from About.com: Calorie Count - Food ...
Cooking Tips and Tricks VIDEO Tips & Techniques -
www.womensforum.com Food Tips and TechniquesFood Tips and Techniques Cooking Tips and Tricks VIDEO. ... Metcalf also shows us an easy recipe for pesto to put with spaghetti squash. How to Make an Easy Meal.
Cooking Tips, Tricks & Techniques Recipes - Organic Recipes
www.flannerys.com.au/.../category/cooking-tips-tricks-techniques/page2We're taking it back to the basics with these cooking tips, tricks and techniques to make cooking easier in the kitchen! ... healthy and easy! Search Recipes Keyword ...
Chefs > Cooking > Tips and Techniques
www.chefs.com/Cooking/TipsandTechniques.aspxCooking. Features; Tips and Techniques; ... Education; My Chefs; Cooking Techniques & Advice. Become a Member. Entertaining Made Easy. ... Open House & Cooking ...
10 Cooking Tips to Make Your Favorite Foods Healthier Eating Well
www.eatingwell.com Healthy Cooking 101: Basics & TechniquesWe turn to tricks and techniques weve learned over the past 10 years, ... More Healthy Cooking Tips & Techniques. ... Easy Recipes ...
Five Easy Ways to Improve Your Cooking - Easy Cooking Tips
culinaryarts.about.com/od/seasoningflavoring/tp/fiveways.htmHere are five simple tips to help you become a better cook instantly! 1. Season Boldly. ... Getting Food Hot; Basic Cooking Methods; Related Articles. Salt Tips and ...
Kitchen Tricks and Tips From Our Expert Cooks RealSimple.com
www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/kitchen...Kitchen Tricks and Tips From Our Expert Cooks How to Make Simple Syrup. Want to sweeten your lemonade or iced tea? Dont reach for the sugar bowl.
Easy Cooking Tips and Tricks - Boelter SuperStore Blog
boeltersuperstore.com Tricks of the TradeEasy Tips and tricks from Boelter Super Store help you become a better cook. Learn secrets cooking tips from the pros that turn your meals into
No comments:
Post a Comment